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I had so much fun last week compiling the list of the Best R.E.M. songs, I had to take a stab at doing the same for U2. I polled our Twitter followers and my fanatical friends, who then suggested more than 50 different songs, including just about every cut from War, Joshua Tree and Achtung Baby. All five of the first tracks off Joshua Tree made this list, but it also draws from nearly every era—from Boy all the way up to Atomic Bomb (and an argument could be made for No Line on the Horizon's "Magnificent" or "White as Snow"). Tell me why I'm wrong.
Part of the Original Soundtracks side project under the moniker Passengers, "Miss Sarajevo" features an operetic solo by Luciano Pavoratti, allowing Bono a rare moment of understated vocals.
Miss Sarajevo - U2 and Luciano Pavarotti
19. "Vertigo" (How To Dismantle an Atomic Bomb)
It's hard to separate the music from the dancing rainbow silhouettes, but "Vertigo" is just a monstrously catchy tune.
Vertigo - U2
18. "The Unforgettable Fire" (The Unforgettable Fire)
With the commercial success of War, the band earned itself a little artistic freedom, and they lured Brian Eno and Daniel Lanois to produce The Unforgettable Fire. The spacious title track proved that to be a great decision.
The Unforgettable Fire - U2
17. "Angel of Harlem" (Rattle and Hum)
It's easy to write off Rattle and Hum as an unfortunate post-Joshua Tree hiccup, but the album has quite a few forgotten gems like this horn-filled tribute to Billie Holiday.
Angel Of Harlem - U2
16. "I Will Follow" (Boy)
The only song the band has performed on every tour, their first hit single "I Will Follow" is about unconditional love. How punk does that xylophone still sound? It's more like banging on beer bottles than plinking dainty notes.
I Will Follow - U2
15. "Bullet the Blue Sky" (Joshua Tree)
Bono growls the lyrics of Joshua Tree's fourth track, and The Edge's guitar screeches like a siren. As the song breaks down, Bono turns it into a poetry slam.
Bullet The Blue Sky - U2
14. "40" (War)
Ending an anti-war album with Psalm 40 is an example of how U2 has so perfectly used light and faith and optimism to contrast the darkness they often sing about. On the album's first track "Sunday Bloody Sunday" they ask "How long to sing this song?" In the closer, Bono declares "I will sing, sing a new song" before returning bringing that original question into a new context.
40 - U2
13. "Acrobat" (Achtung Baby)
If "I Still Haven't Found What I've Looking For" was a lament about not having all the answers, "Acrobat" is an angrier response to those who might try to shove false ones in your face.
Acrobat - U2
12. "Stay (Faraway, So Close)" (Zooropa)
I don't have a lot of love for Zooropa, but this song is an understated treasure in an album of excess.
Stay (Faraway, So Close!) - U2
11. "All I Want Is You" (Rattle and Hum)
Another bright spot on Rattle and Hum is closer "All I Want Is You." An epic affair clocking in at over six minutes with The Edge's rambling guitar playing off the orchestral strings.
All I Want Is You - U2
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Bullet the Blue Sky came alive on Rattle and Hum: Larry Mullen Jr. hitting hitting those drums as Bono counts $100! $200! made the song.
Bad should be number one. It's not just the best U2 song, it's the best rock and roll song of the 1980s. It's also an iconic moment from Live Aid.
So glad to see Acrobat on here. It has always been one of my favorite U2 songs.
no right to complain, as i didn't respond to the request ... but, the list is heavy on the radio-ready second half of their career, and that cost some beautiful stuff, like the minimalist, "October," - in my book one of the two or three best songs (U2 or otherwise,) of all time.
Agree about Acrobat. Great song
I feel like you can put Bad on Twice. The version on "Wide Awake in America" Live is amazing. 8 Minutes long with the Stones song ending this beautiful song.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aPyhYczii8I
Also IMHO one of the least appreciated and played U2 song is "Heartland" from Rattle and Hum
Not a "Bad" list (pun intended) but a few oversights worth thinking about
Desire - Sorry, but Rattle & Hum kicks ass! It was a great encore to the Joshua Tree sound that has been absent ever since.
The Fly - When they debuted this song and I heard that tortured distorted guitar riff, I couldn't believe it was U2. It still sounds cutting edge today.
Mysterious Ways - This song is the epitomy of U2's foray into combining indie and pop into something you could dance to. Maybe overplayed, but still catchy "...on your knees boy!"
Vertigo?
Acrobat?
Really?
How can you even attempt a list such as this without quantifying it in some way like, "20 best live songs to scream along with" or "20 best radio hits" or "20 best songs to try and convince your fundamentalist Christian parents that U2 is actually a Christian band so that they will let you listen to them?"
So here's what I would name THIS list:
"20 U2 songs that we decided to call the 'best' so that we could get a bunch of page-views from U2 fans fighting about how incomplete and lame-ass it is"
There, I feel better. Don't you?
For me, remove "Angel Of Harlem" which didn't stand the test of time and replace it with "Original of the Species" from HTDAAB. Then for 20B and 20C include "Exit" from the Joshua Tree and "Spanish Eyes", the B Side from Still Havent Found What I'm Looking For. A very difficult list that was well done. Might have to go "Top 50" for these boys. Oh, and where is "Walk On"??
Wow, seriously? Those are the best you could come up with? Where's all the stuff off Boy and October? "I Will Follow," "Out Of Control," "Gloria," "I Fall Down," "I Threw A Brick Through A Window," and "Rejoice" all of this stuff, no contest.
Ahem. *Beat* all of this stuff, no contest.
What about:
"A Sort of Homecoming"
"Drowning Man"
"Until the End of the World"
"Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses"
"Lemon"
"One Tree Hill"
"In God's Country"
???
Good call on "Running to Stand Still", "Stay", "Angel of Harlem." The rest are a bit obvious. More interesting would have been 20 best non-single U2 tracks, as too many of their hits are obvious.
One of the most underrated songs in the U2 canon is "Seconds" off of War. Same goes for "Two Hearts Beat As One".
Some more: "Tomorrow" (October), "MLK" (The Unforgettable Fire), "Moment of Surrender" (No Line on the Horizon), "The First Time" (Zooropa), and the utter hilarity and weirdness that is "Numb."
And where in the heck is "Electrical Storm", i.e. one of the sexiest songs in the whole world?
Pointless list. I guess that's what happens when you use twitter as a polling device. Except for Acrobat, these are just their generic hits. Not interesting at all. Vertigo is the one of the lamest U2 songs ever.
I'D DROP:
40
Acrobat
Stay
I Will Follow
Miss Sarajevo
IN FAVOR OF:
So Cruel
City of Blinding Lights
One Tree Hill
Trip Through Your Wires
Wave of Sorrow (Birdland)
Miss Sarajevo is an excellent call, I didn't expect to see it turn up on the list at all. What would I like to see on the list?
Ultraviolet (Light My Way)
Who's Gonna Ride Your Wild Horses
If God Will Send His Angels
The First Time
Desire
Stuck in a Moment You Can't Get Out Of
Walk On
Excellent that Bad is included!
I find the list curious since October is the band's best album, IMO.
I thank you for this. While I don't completely agree with your choices, you got me listening to this band that I have neglected for a while. Thanks.
U2 are the best ever and their all music are fine and fantastic